There is an increasing demand for energy in today's world. Increases in energy prices have led to the consideration of various alternative sources of energy. These alternative energy sources include, for example capturing part of the energy of a wave of water. Various techniques for harvesting energy from water waves are known. For example, Japanese Patent Publication JP 11-117847 to Hatakeyama discloses a power-generating device which has an inflow chamber and a discharge chamber. The front wall of the inflow chamber has a plurality of backflow-check boards placed to open inward. The front wall of the discharge chamber has a plurality of inflow-check boards placed so as to open outward. The inflow chamber adjoins the discharge chamber, separated by a partition with a communicating hole. A turbine, connected to a generator in the discharge chamber, is positioned in the communicating hole. The discharge chamber is provided with a lid.
PCT patent publication WO 86/04391 to Bleissener discloses a wave energy plant for the exploitation of wave energy, comprising a float anchored at the bottom of the sea and subdivided into an inlet chamber and a discharge chamber. Barrage elements let the stream pass in only one direction. Flow openings are formed in the wall between the inlet chamber and the discharge chamber, and a hydraulic turbine coupled to a generator is arranged in each opening. The water penetrates in the inlet chamber through the barrage elements which are in the area of the up waves of the sea. The water comes out of the discharge chamber through the barrage elements which are in the region of the trough of the waves. The pressure difference between the barrage elements opened by the water which enters and comes out, and the volume of water which flows due to said difference through the hydraulic turbines produces energy.
However such know wave energy conversion devices suffer from drawbacks in terms of efficiency in converting as much of the energy of the wave as possible, making them impractical. It would be highly desirable to provide a device for converting wave energy into electricity with increased efficiency which is also reliable, durable and cost-effective.